Stylish, and spooky, essays on films, books, places and people by a world-class novelist

Jean Sprackland’s Green Noise has a tangy, earthy smell about it. She is a snooper on the natural world, a conspiratorial poet who upturns things to find out what’s odd about them and, almost incidentally, explores her own lostness as she goes.

A thrilling exploration of the novel's [Dracula's] creation and its creator. It is also, as with the best literary horror, genuinely creepy . . . a brilliantly entertaining read.

Reading Dracul is like watching a classic vampire film. Bram Stoker lives! Dracula lives! Horror lives on nearly every page. A terrifying read that gave me hours of fun.

Brilliant. Dracul pumps fresh blood into the vampire genre by telling the story of the man who started it all-Bram Stoker. And what a story! A grand adventure that contains all the literary playfulness and mounting dread of the original Dracula. It gave me chills.

A blood and thunder tale for those grieving the passing of Penny Dreadful. This novel is like immersing yourself in a Hammer horror film, and I mean that, of course, as great praise.

A compelling, deep, dark drama about Dracula’s origin. Even I had to keep the lights on when reading this book!

A terrifying and compelling prequel that reveals how a young Bram Stoker confronted evil to craft a masterpiece.

Whatever fiendish bargain Stoker and Barker struck to resurrect the voice of Bram Stoker with such authenticity and aplomb, it was worth it, at least to their mere mortal readers. Dracul is a genius and fevered nightmare of Gothic madness, each page seeping with ominous dread and escalating horror. It is a prequel more than just worthy of the original novel—it is sure to be an undying classic of its own, haunting, terrifying and entertaining generations to come.

Very scary . . . a big book that will no doubt be a hit among monster-movie and horror lit fans—and for good reason.

J.D. Barker is a one-of-a-kind writer and that’s a rare and special thing. Stephen King comes to mind and Lee Child, John Sanford. All one-of-a-kinds. Don’t miss anything J.D. writes.

A . . . dread-infused atmosphere not at all that far from Poe.

Dracul is utterly compelling, not to mention terrifying . . . it truly is the best possible reading material for October 31st.

This Dracula is the vicious, bloodthirsty, malevolent 'strigori' we know and love to hate.

Dracul is a fat, entertaining novel which mixes fact and fiction with lusty relish . . . Written, like its illustrious antecedent, in epistolary form it also mimics the darkness of the original.

An intriguing tale of bloodlust, horror and resurrection . . . [Dracul] builds to an exciting and suspenseful climax.

A bold, inclusive exploration of teen sexuality that, propelled by Jack's brazen voice, never feels preachy

Rosen (The Memory Wall) creates memorable protagonists and brings a fresh, frank voice to his YA debut

This book is filth.

It tells stories of diversity, queerness, sexuality, gender, and is very sex positive. It's the book about high school that gives you the sex ed class desperately lacking from high school education.

Jack of Hearts is the book I needed growing up as an isolated gay teen in a straight boy's world.

Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a joyously sex positive exploration through teenage life with an unashamedly unapologetic queer hero and a page turningly sinister twist. Not only did the story keep me hooked, but it served as an inclusive guide to navigating the world of modern day sex as an adolescent. My horny teenage self would have loved this book, and I'm sure it would have helped him too.'

A well-crafted and riveting thriller populated by an engaging cast of characters. If this is what teenagers are like today, I want to go back to school!

Unapologetically honest, refreshingly bold and gloriously celebratory, Jack of Hearts tackles subjects that many would rather bury and pretend teens don't want (or need) to talk about.

Never before have I seen a representation of my sexuality and identity so holistic, so genuine, and yet so educational and down to earth at the same time.

It looks like Mark Haddon is about to have a great big success all over again

Brilliantly readable… Comic and bittersweet

A closely observed domestic drama…

Characteristically original, deftly observed...

A beautifully orchestrated novel that gently questions how we define success

[Haddon] shows a knack for portraying family dynamics…

Mark Haddon proves himself a master of the domestic drama

Gripping drama